The Teenage Brain and Making Responsible Decisions About Sex

Transcription

1 Lesson Goals Review What We Know About the Teenage Brain Review the Decision Making Model Discuss the Role that Values play in Supporting Good Decision Making Understand How Emotions Can Interfere with Responsible Decision-Making Talk to a Parent/Guardian of Other Trusted Adult About Oneʼs Familyʼs Values SEL Skills Self-awareness, Decision-making Terms Amygdala Impulsive Decision-Making Moral Compass Values Materials: Folders, Journals, Decision-making Model handout, Values Based Decisionmaking Model handout. Family Homework Assignment: Students will interview a parent/guardian, or other trusted adult about the familyʼs values. Values are developed and strengthened throughout your life but have their origin in oneʼs family, community, faith communities and other organizations, and even your location in the world (e.g., region, country). Knowing what your values are and strengthening your beliefs and commitment to your values is a good strategy for making good choices and staying healthy in high school. 1

2 Activity 1: Review What We Know About the Adolescent Brain ~ The purpose of this activity is to help teens understand that they are at risk for impulsive decision-making and provides skills and strategies for good responsible decision-making in relation to sexual behavior. Slide Presentation: Your Adolescent Brain: Why you do the things you do! Use the slide presentation to further explain to students how the immature teenage brain can affect decision-making around a lot of different risky behaviors. A. Gender-Female Brain/Male Brain B. Pleasure/Reward Pathways C. Decision Making The prefrontal cortex is not fully mature until the mid-twenties. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for: Judgment Seeing into the future Seeing how behavior can affect the future Moral intelligence Abstract thinking Seeing what is not obvious Planning for the future Rational behavior and decision making Understanding rules of social conduct Amygdala - emotional/social hijacking Process Questions: 1) What implications does this have on teen sexual behavior? On teen decisionmaking? 2) What types of decisions will teens be faced with regarding sex and sexuality during high school? 3) What are the implications of what we have learned about teen brain capacity in relation to making fully mature decisions about participation in risky behaviors? 4) What strategies can teens put in place to help them make good sound decisions. 2

3 Activity 2 - Revisit the Decision Making Model ~ The purpose of this activity is to provide students with logical steps for making a responsible decision Review the decision-making model that was introduced to you in middle school. It is important to follow a consistent process for making decisions so that you can carefully think through all the possibilities and consequences of your choices. Draw the decision-making model on the board (or smart-board) and introduce the steps to making a good decision by using a simple situation (e.g., whether, or not you should cut school). This is designed to be a quick review. NOTE: This model will be introduced as part of the grade 6 sexuality curriculum. Current freshmen have not yet seen it. Activity 3 - Making Decisions Under the Influence of Emotions ~ The purpose of this activity is to help students understand some of the biological reasons why they are at risk for impulsive decision-making. The amygdala is part of the limbic system of the brain and is involved in instinctive "gut" reactions, including fight or flight responses. Lower activity in the frontal lobe could lead to poor control over behavior and emotions, while an overactive amygdala may be associated with high levels of emotional arousal and reactionary decision-making. Most decisions are not made in the peace and comfort of your own home. Many teenage decisions will have to be made while under the influence of your emotions. You may not always feel good about your decisions - even when you make a value-based decision that you know is right for you. You will find, that there are times when you will be left with unresolved intense feelings and emotions. This will seem confusing and frustrating. It is important to try to separate the emotions from the decision-making process. Remind yourself that, although uncomfortable, the intensity of these emotions are finite...and manageable. Review the slides (how your emotions hijack your brain When you become aware that you may be acting on your emotions instead of being thoughtful 1) Recognize and name the emotions that are involved 2) Realize that these emotions can affect your decision-making skills 3) Rely on your values to guide your decision 3

4 Activity 4 - Values-Based Decision-Making Model ~ The purpose of this activity is to provide students with logical steps for making a responsible decision based on their values After reviewing the steps to the decision-making model, introduce the Values-Based Decision-Making Model. Explain that decisions about sex should be made within a framework of values. Making a good decision means making a decision that is right for you at a given moment-in-time. Hopefully, your decision at this time in your life would be to abstain from sexual behaviors. The strength and conviction to stay true to your decision is based on strengthening your values. Values are the basis for fulfillment in your life and define what you stand for and how you do things. Values are developed and strengthened throughout your life but have their origin in your family, your community, your faith communities and other organizations, and even your location in the world (e.g., region, country). Knowing what your values are and strengthening your beliefs and commitment to your values is a good strategy for making good choices and staying healthy in high school. Draw the Values-Based Decision-Making Model on the board (or smart-board) and introduce the additional step of filtering decisions through a framework of values. Example: Josh asked Abby to come over to his house on Friday night. He told her that his parents were going to a wedding in New Hampshire and would not be coming home until sometime the next day. Abby has liked Josh for quite some time. They hang out at school and have met up at some sports events, but they have never spent any time alone together. What should Abby do? Note: Have students generate a second or third scenario. A key factor in making healthy decisions is knowing yourself - by becoming more selfaware. Prompt students to think of values that Abby might rely on in helping her to make this decision. Remind students that making decisions about sexual behaviors can be confusing because of all the mixed messages we receive about sex and sexuality. Developing a moral compass can help guide your decisions. Process Questions: 1. How did (could) Abbyʼs values help her make a responsible decision? 2. How might this process be different if Abby had overwhelming strong romantic feelings for Josh? 3. How might this process be different if Josh pressured Abby to make the decision he wanted her to make? 4. What strategies might you put in place to make sure you are making a responsible decision when situations like these occur? 4

5 Name the decision to be made (learned in MS) Choice 1 List possible choices Choice 2 Choice 3 Underline important pros and cons and think about how they relate to your goals Make a Decision Evaluate your decision: What do you think will happen as a result of this decision? 5

6 Name the decision to be made (learned in MS) Choice 1 List possible choices Choice 2 Choice 3 Underline important pros and cons and think about how they relate to your goals Make a Decision Evaluate your decision: What do you think will happen as a result of this decision? 6

7 Values Based Decision Making Name the decision to be made Name 3 most significant values that can guide you in this situation Choice 1 Choice 2 Choice 3 Which choice best reflects your values What is your decision? How do you think you will feel about this decision? Why? 7

8 Values Based Decision Making Name the decision to be made Name 3 most significant values that can guide you in this situation Choice 1 Choice 2 Choice 3 Which choice best reflects your values What is your decision? How do you think you will feel about this decision? Why? 8

9 Family Homework Assignment Values about Sex and Sexuality Choose a parent /guardian or other trusted adult to interview about values. During this interview, you are trying to understand the values that are important to your family about sex and sexuality. After this interview, you will be completing an introspective journaling assignment reflecting on your parent/guardian or other trusted adultʼs point of view. Be prepared to discuss the role that values play in making decisions about sex. You are welcome to add your own question or alter a question slightly to make it more meaningful. Who should I talk to if I have questions about sex? What is the difference between sex and sexuality? What do our familyʼs values tell us about sex and sexuality? What do our religious values tell us about sex and sexuality? What do our cultural values tell us about sex and sexuality? Explain a little bit about our discussion in class about the mixed messages teens receive from the media (TV, Movies, Magazines). Ask your parent/guardian or other trusted adult if s/he experienced mixed messages when s/he was a teenager? If so, what were they? How did s/he deal with them? Given our conversation about values and about mixed messages, discuss some specific strategies for abstaining from sexual behaviors as a teen. 9

10 Reflective Journaling Activity 1. What was something interesting you learned from talking to your parent/guardian or other trusted adult about values? 2. Explain why you believe it is important for people to consider their values when making decisions about sexual behaviors? 3. What strategies did you and your parent/guardian or other trusted adult discuss for dealing with mixed messages about sex and sexuality? 10